Babcock-habits
by Tarja Holopainen
Summary: This is a little story about how C.C. gets something back she loves and how her brother opens her eyes, helping her to admit her feelings for a certain butler. (Random title.)


**It's me again (annoying, little Rena). I should stop watching The Nanny, because I can't watch a single episode without an idea popping into my head.**

**It's a gift ... And a curse (anyone got the Monk-reference? LOL).**

**Anyway, the characters don't belong to me (if only ...) Have fun, don't kill me for not perfect English and review, please! :)**

* * *

Noel Babcock had never seen his youngest sister cry. When she used to be sad, or didn't get the things she wanted, she used to whine annoyingly until she got comfort or the things she wanted. Yes, Chastity Claire had been a spoiled little brat, but she had a heart of gold when it came to him. That's why he'd always liked her more than the bitchy Diane Delisle.

And she still did it. Chastity still made those dry whining noise while pretending to cry. Noel shook his head and poured himself another drink. She would never grow up. She had lost the bet, it was her own fault, she had agreed to give him her best racehorse, if she'd lose. Well, she lost the bet and tried to get it back like she was used to do.

Noel just took a sip of his wine, when the doorbell rang. The professor sighed and stood up to open the door. Who could it be? CC? Fran? It couldn't be Teresa, that was for sure. She had told him about fifty times, she would stay in Illinois to read and correct student's essays.

Noes opened the door and couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the Sheffield's butler. "Mr. Niles? Can I help you?"

"Only Niles", the polite, british man corrected. "And yes, you can help me. I'm sorry for disturbing, Mr. Babcock, but it's about your sister."

"CC?", Noel asked, not less surprised than before. "Well, come in!"

"Thank you, Sir", the butler said and went inside the hotel room.

Noel didn't ask how he knew that he was staying at this hotel. He was used to the fact that butlers knew everything. They had to clean the whole house, of course Niles could have found the card of his hotel, he'd given to CC, easily.

"Sit down, please. Want a drink?" Noel tried to stay polite, even though he knew how the butler could be. How he treated CC, in front of all.

"No, thank you", Niles answered, while placing himself on a chair next to the table. "I'm on my way to Jeopardy." He laughed a little.

Right, it was Fran's 'big performance' tonight. "Okay, then ... You said something about my sister. Is something wrong? How can I help?"

Noel saw, that the man in front of him had his hands entwined. Was it something bad? Was she drowning herself in liquid again? Stupid Babcock-habit.

"I've never seen Miss Babcock cry -", Niles started and Noel laughed. What a surprise. "Well, _really _cry", Niles went on and Noel stopped laughing. "I know about her little fake-cry, it never works in this house. But today, she really cried. After you were gone."

Noel looked at him but said nothing. It seemed, the butler knew his sister very well.

"I was passing the office, when I heard a sighed 'Why?'. I remained quiet and then I heard her - it was heartbreaking."

"Heartbreaking?", Noel asked sarcastic.

"Yes, Sir, she was sobbing and -"

"Niles, I'm very sorry to interrupt you, but this makes no sense. CC doesn't cry. Never. She would probably cry if I'd die, but she wouldn't cry just because she lost her horse in a bet. And besides this fact, what do you care? I know you enjoy pranking her, making fun of her - to be honest - a little doubtable feminity, about her looks, about everything. CC tells me everything, Niles, and I'm trying hard not to raise my voice right now. You hate her, why would you try to help her?"

Niles stared at the table. His answer came in a whisper. "Because I don't hate her, Mr. Babcock."

"Then why do you -", Noel began, but as he saw the butler's depressed look, he hushed. Did he ... No, he didn't _love _her, right? He couldn't. It didn't make sense ... He was a butler, she was a socialite ... Wait, why shouldn't it make sense? Because he wasn't wealthy? It had _nothing_ to do with their status! He'd also fallen in love with the simple Teresa!

"Ohhhhh - kay", Noel said slowly. "So. You're in love with my sister?"

"I'm afraid so", Niles said with deep red cheeks. "I'm sorry."

Noel nodded. That man in front of him seemed to be truly and deeply in love with his sister. But he was a butler and Noel knew, CC would never let herself involve with 'the help', as she liked to call everyone below her. Noel called this behaviour her inner BB.

"This came very surprising for me right now", he confessed and Niles laughed.

"You do look shocked, Sir. Don't be offended, I won't do anything. I - I will never tell her and I'm not going to rape her. Or _try _to rape her, I know I would lose against her strongness ..."

"You will never tell her?", Noel asked, ignoring the little talk about CC's strongness (it disturbed him, thinking about his sister and her 'masculine features' as sexy).

"Of course not, she hates me. She would probably laugh and then I would have to quit, because I could never look at her again without feeling my heart break", Niles sighed.

Noel nodded again, but his mind told him something else: _I also thought_ you_ hated my sister, but in real you love her. Maybe she feels the same?_

* * *

CC opened the door and Noel immediately saw that Niles had been right. Her eyes were puffy and red and so was her nose.

"Noel?"

Her voice sounded normal, but boy, he knew she was a passionate actress, even though her job was producing plays, not taking part in them.

"Hi, honey, may I come in?"

"I don't know, I'm watching a soap. And I'm still mad at you." She sounded pissed off.

"CC, I've changed my mind", Noel told her without thinking about it twice. He'd decided to give her Royal back and that was it.

"What?" CC stepped aside and Noel entered the penthouse.

"I want to give you Royal back", he explained.

"No", CC whispered. "I know you. You're just kidding with me."

"I am not." Noel looked at her with all the honesty he could bring up - and not a second after he'd ended the sentence, CC's arms were around him.

"Okay, I believe you. Thank you", she said happily but still resigned. Noel could see she was happy, but she somehow wasn't able to express her feelings more than this little bit. Maybe she was too used to do this from turning the feelings down while talking to Niles ...?

"The butler made me change my mind", Noel said and CC let him go. She stepped back and looked at him, her lips apart, her eyes ripped open.

_"Niles?"_

"Exactly. He is a real charmer." Noel smiled at her broadly.

_"Ha!"_ CC laughed loudly. "Oh my god, Noel! He is the most infuriating, stubborn, repulsive excuse for a man that ever crawled out of a hole! You can't trust him, he's the devil! I told you what he did to me! Wh - what he _does_ to me! Noel, please!"

Noel smiled. He couldn't help it, but he saw honest tears in the eyes of his little sister, and it both amused and astounded him. And then he saw something else ... CC was blushing. Just like Niles.

"He can be very nice, CC. And it seems he cares for you." Noel grinned as he watched the blush in her face deepen.

"He doesn't care for me", she said with a shaking voice. "He hates me, I hate him -"

"CC, you'll get your horse back, but only if you tell me what happened between the two of you."

"Happened? Nothing happened!" CC clenched her fists and bit her lower lip.

"CC, I mean it. Horse in exchange to the truth." Noel knew his sister to well.

"Alright, you won't leave me alone." CC sighed. "We ... Well, we kissed." She fell back on her couch, her hands over her flushed face.

"How was it?", Noel asked and CC put her hands away to stare at him.

"Besides disgusting?" She fake-shivered.

"CC", Noel warned and CC rolled her eyes.

"You are unbelieveable. Really, Noel? The truth isn't pretty." CC laughed her deep laugh. "The truth is ugly."

"Royal in exchange to the truth", Noel repeated. "No matter how ugly it is."

"The truth", CC rolled her eyes again and then smiled dreamily. "I'll tell you, our tongues were melted together and I wished it would never stop, I wished that time was freezing and he would kiss me forever ... Our hearts were beating and my skin was burning, everywhere he touched me. I suddenly heard music all around us, even though I'm sure there was none. Our lips were harmonizing, and my mind was turning. There was only us, I forgot everything around us, everything, I've ever felt. I felt just him and I suddenly felt totally sober. I knew what I wanted in this very moment ... I was leaning into the kiss, I was about to wrap my legs around him, waiting for him to take me upstairs ..."

"Wow", Noel whispered. He was a little shocked about the passionate words of his 'innocent' sister, but he was happy that she had found happiness. "And then?"

CC's look immediately lost all the dreaminess. "Then Nanny Fine and Maxwell came home and the magic was lost."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

They were quiet for a few minutes.

Then Noel asked softly, "Would you kiss him again?"

_"Only_ kiss? Nope", CC said with an evil grin. "I would take him home and fuck his damn little soul out of his body."

"CC, please", Noel said with a grimace. "I'm also your brother, not just your best friend. I really don't want a picture of you and - well, too late. Ugh." Noel shivered.

"Told you the truth wasn't pretty", CC shrugged.

"And I just didn't believe you. I'm sorry. And I'm really sorry for making you unhappy with winning Royal."

"Unhappy?", CC laughed. "I wasn't unhappy."

"Sure", Noel said dryly and hugged his little sister. "Lucky we didn't sign any papers yet, this would have been complicated. I'll call you."

"Okay. And - Noel?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks for having an open ear ... Because of Niles." CC stared to the floor, a blush creeping over her face again.

"Honey, he cares about you. Really. He noticed you were sad -"

"I wasn't sad!"

Noel hugged her again, laughing. "I love you. Talk to him."

CC closed her eyes and hugged him back. Her heart was growing, everytime Noel touched her. There were only two men in her life who had that effect of her, Noel and ...

"I love you too", CC whispered back.

* * *

Niles was dusting the office. He was always dusting the office, just to be around her. Besides, the office reminded him on his last prank. Cluck like a chicken ...

Niles smiled. She had clucked only like a goddess would cluck. And then that kiss ...

He closed his eyes and could suddenly smell her perfume, like he did, everytime he closed his eyes to think of the kiss. But this time it was different. It seemed to be real.

"Thank you ..."

Her voice was as light as a breeze of air, but it was there, right at his ear. And so was the kiss, soft lips were pressed against his cheek gently.

"Y - you're welcome", Niles studdered and turned around to grab her, kiss her, tell her how he felt - but the only thing he could see, was her slim figure walking out of the office. "Miss Babcock ...", he whispered and touched his cheek.

She had thanked and kissed him. No doubt.


End file.
